Strike the Blood - Volume 18 - Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE 

THE LETTER OF INVITATION 

1 

Narrowing his eyes at the dazzling sunbeams reflected off the asphalt, the Fourth Primogenitor, Kojou Akatsuki, walked to school on a sidewalk along the coast. 

The southern nation sunrays were powerful even in the early morning, and the humid air particular to the tropics coiled around his skin. However, Kojou’s steps were unusually light. 

“Refreshing morning, isn’t it? It’s nice and bright. Seems like it’ll be hot today, too. Days like this sure brighten the mood, huh?” 

Kojou had a sunny disposition, gazing at the serene sky enough to dye his own eyes blue. 

The upbeat statement, unimaginable coming from him under normal circumstances, caused the two girls walking beside him to halt and gape. 

“S-senpai…?” 

Yukina Himeragi looked up at the side of Kojou’s face with an openly wary expression. From her gaze, she seemed to suspect he was under psychic attack or had been brainwashed by some kind of powerful sorcery. 

“‘Warm’ is putting it mildly,” replied Kojou’s younger sister, Nagisa, without missing a beat. “Even right now, the atmospheric temperature should be over thirty degrees…” 

Kojou had woken up on time that morning for once, so they just happened to be heading to school together. 

However, Kojou’s expression did not particularly change despite the pair’s plainly suspicious reactions. 

“Gotta say, waking up early feels good. Really puts you in a fresh mood.” 

Yukina’s smiling face twitched. “R-right. Although you did not wake up early enough for me to call it waking up early…” Her posture indicated she was still wary. 

He normally arrived at school just barely on time, so this only felt early to him; as a matter of fact, they were going to school at a normal hour. 

Nagisa shifted her gaze to her older brother as if he were slightly creepy. “More to the point, what’s with you today, Kojou? What happened? You always look like you’re going to keel over in the morning. You’re like, ‘it’s hooooot,’ or ‘I’m gonna dieeee’, or ‘I’m gonna turn to aaash’ and stuff.” 

“Hey, I can’t help it! How harsh do you think Itogami Island’s direct sunlight is on a vampire? Forget sunburn! It’s more like burning to a crisp,” Kojou snapped, unwittingly back to his normal demeanor. 

Direct sunlight wasn’t exactly enough to kill Kojou, the World’s Mightiest Vampire, but it didn’t change the fact that he had a much harder time with it than the average person. 

Nagisa let out a hearty sigh in exasperation. “Well, that’s because you don’t put on proper sunblock, Kojou. Even normal humans walking around the island without protection against UV rays would get sunburned so bad they wouldn’t even be able to take a bath at night.” 

“I suppose so. It’s Itogami Island, so sunblock even for vampires is sold in normal stores.” Yukina smiled with mild relief when she saw that Kojou had returned to his usual self. 

Itogami Island was a Demon Sanctuary—an artificial city with the goal of coexistence between humanity and Demonkind. Many commercial products that were difficult to acquire on the mainland were sold for the sake of the demons living there. Sunblock for vampires, boasting particularly high sun protection factor, was among them. 

“Sunblock… But that has a specific scent to it, right? I have a tough time with the smell…” 

Kojou grimaced a little as he averted his eyes. Thanks to his five senses having sharpened after becoming a vampire, he didn’t have much fondness for the scent of artificial perfumes of late. 

However, Yukina smiled and shook her head as she gave Kojou a considerate look. “Lately, there is scentless, non-perfumed sunblock as well. One cannot use products with a strong scent at school, regardless.” 

“Oh…so you use something like that, Himeragi?” 

Raising his eyebrows, Kojou stared at Yukina. She seemed so indifferent about her own appearance, so her being this mindful about sunburn surprised him a little. 

“Well, yes. Er, Sayaka and Master were very insistent about it, so—” 

“Huh. Well, you certainly have pretty skin.” 

“O-oh, I do?” 

Yukina’s cheeks reddened when Kojou drew his face close to examine her bare skin. 

Nagisa yelled, “Close! Too close, Kojou! That’s sexual harassment! And Yukina, this is no time for you to be blushing!” She landed a punch to his stomach in a fit of anger. It wasn’t a particularly powerful punch, but she must have hit a bad spot based on Kojou’s groan and loss of breath. 

“Guoah… I…was not ready for that one…” 

“So besides all that, why are you in such a good mood today anyway?” Nagisa asked her violently coughing brother. 

Kojou scratched his head. “It’s not that I’m in a particularly good mood, but more that Golden Week is right around the corner.” 

“Huh? That’s the reason? That’s it?” Nagisa’s eyes widened in astonishment. Yukina seemed at a loss for words as well. 

The girls’ reactions made Kojou twist his lips like he was pouting. 

“Well, that’s how important it is to me! It’s the break I’ve wanted for ages, you know. Back during spring break and even at New Year’s, I had supplemental lessons, and homework, and the war of the primogenitors wrap-up, and all kinds of brushes with death.” 

“Ahh…” 

Gazing at Kojou and his earnest, fervent effort to explain, Nagisa smiled warmly with a pitying look. She no doubt remembered the sight of her older brother being recalled by his homeroom teacher for supplemental lessons and homework. 

“Have you made any plans?” Yukina asked with an expression far gentler than the norm. Kojou thought a bit and shook his head. 

“Nah, not really. As long as I can stay up late and sleep in the morning without worrying I’m g—” 

“A trip! I wanna go on an overseas trip!” Nagisa asserted. 

The sudden proposal from his little sister made Kojou let out an exhausted sigh. “Overseas… Where the heck would we get the money?” 

“What do you mean? The bank, of course. Gajou’s been giving me an allowance when he comes back from time to time.” 

“That shitty dad…! He never even brought me one stupid souvenir…!” 

Nagisa’s completely unexpected words left Kojou fiercely indignant. Their father, Gajou Akatsuki, rarely came home due to his archeology fieldwork, but he had apparently made sure his daughter was glad to see him, at least. 

“Where would we go on a trip, huh? It’d have to be a really refreshing place. I wanna see snow and ice floes and stuff.” 

“Er, I’m saying there’s no money. Besides, there’d be no way to schedule a flight in time.” 

An enraptured expression came over Nagisa as Kojou gently sought to persuade her. Being a long distance removed from the Japanese mainland made travel inconvenient all by itself. He didn’t think they’d be lucky enough to pick up airplane tickets on the eve of a string of major holidays. 

“Uuu… Ice floe…” 

It was plain to the naked eye that Kojou’s realistic assertion left Nagisa deflated. From that point on, she fell silent as she gazed far into the distance. 

Kojou wearily slouched his shoulders in defeat. 

“Got it. Wait until summer break for the overseas trip, okay? I’ll work part-time and earn up some money in the meantime.” 

“Ah, yeah. That’s fine…but more importantly, I feel like I’ve seen that person somewhere…” 

“Oh?” 

Nagisa had stopped moving as she stared toward the front gate of Saikai Academy. A single schoolgirl wearing an unfamiliar uniform was mixed in with the students heading into school. She stood out a great deal even at a distance. 

She was slender and tall with a very stylish look. Her hair was long and light brown, suiting her elegant visage very nicely. The large instrument case she carried on her back might have accounted for her somehow coming off as a little rich girl from a well-off family…as long as she stood in silence, at least. 

“…Kirasaka?” 

“Sayaka?” 

Kojou and Yukina stopped as they noticed her. Sayaka seemed to spot Kojou and the others at virtually the same moment. She forced herself to cancel midway her reflexive urge to rush right over and ended up walking to Kojou and company, behaving as if it was no big deal at all. 

Sayaka’s unnatural movements made Kojou stare at her with a suspicious look. The usual Sayaka would have jumped at Yukina like a puppy excited over her owner returning home. 

“G-good morning, Kojou Akatsuki. What a coincidence to bump into you in a place like this.” 

“Er, not much of a coincidence, since I go to school here…” 

Kojou gave Sayaka’s oddly tense disposition a dubious look as he spoke. Yukina seemed to be wary about being hugged; a slightly disappointed expression came over her face. 

“H-heh… Is that so? I hadn’t realized at all.” 

Apparently sensing Kojou and Yukina’s skeptical gazes, Sayaka spoke in an effort to gloss things over at all costs, coming off as more unnatural still. Having lost the mental energy to find further fault, Kojou glanced back at her with an unenthused expression. 

“Why are you on Itogami Island, Kirasaka? On a bodyguard mission for someone?” 

“N-nothing like that at all, actually…” Sayaka averted her eyes. That was suspicious—she wasn’t lying, per se, but wasn’t telling the complete truth, either. 

Kojou lowered his voice. “Don’t tell me that a terrorist or something snuck into Itogami Island from somewhere again?” 

He was remembering a previous time Sayaka had visited Saikai Academy, when a terrorist group known as the Black Death Emperor Front had been operating on Itogami Island in secret. 

“Nah. That stuff’s fine for the time being.” 

However, this time, Sayaka gave a crisp denial. Kojou patted his chest in relief. 

“Oh. Good. Later, Kirasaka.” 

“Wait a…?! Wait up, Kojou Akatsuki! What’s with that attitude when I came all this way to see you?!” 

He was slipping past Sayaka’s flank and heading for the school gates when she grabbed hold of him. 

Kojou shot Sayaka a look filled with even more suspicion. 

“Came to see me? You needed to see me for something?” 

“Eh?! Well, that’s… Of course it was to meet Yukina, too, but…” 

Sayaka prevaricated in her words as she glanced at Yukina to ascertain her reaction. Apparently, she thought being hugged in a place with so many people watching would be troublesome to Yukina, so she was managing to control herself. All the same, Sayaka ambushing them in front of school had attracted a great deal of attention to begin with, so Kojou felt it was a little late for that concern. 

“That’s why I excused myself before heading off and everything.” 

Kojou shook off Sayaka’s hand with an annoyed expression. 

“I-it’s not like that! Or rather, I had something to hand over to Kojou Akatsuki today…!” 

Sayaka nervously excused herself as she tripped over her words. It was then that Kojou realized Sayaka was clutching something to her breasts like it was important to her. It was an extravagant envelope decorated in blue with gold leaf. 

“The heck? A letter…?” 

Kojou posed a question back to Sayaka in bewilderment at the unexpected aim of her actions. 

However, Sayaka did not immediately reply. It seemed she was unsure as to whether she really ought to hand the letter over to him or not. 

Then, in place of the silent and fidgeting Sayaka, it was Nagisa who raised a shrill voice. 

“D-don’t tell me that’s a…love letter…?!” 

“Eh…?!” 

Yukina’s expression froze over as she looked at Sayaka. Sayaka paled, the gaze seemingly rendering her helpless. 

“Wha—?! I-it’s not…!” 

“Sayaka… Could it be…? You genuinely have feelings for…?” 

“You’re wrong, Yukina! It really isn’t that! It’s not that at all, so…!” 

Sayaka was still clutching the sealed envelope as she frantically shook her head. However, Yukina’s stiffness did not relent. Her eyes were still open very wide, staring at Sayaka as if she was completely out to sea. 

Unable to endure Yukina’s gaze, Sayaka turned back toward Kojou with a sharp look. 

“What are you doing, Kojou Akatsuki?! Yukina misunderstood, and it’s your fault, you know?!” 

“Isn’t it ’cause you’ve been acting suspicious all this time?! Also, quit putting pressure on my carotid artery, would you?! Are you tryin’ to kill me?!” 

Kojou continued to object as Sayaka absentmindedly tightened her grip on his throat. However, Sayaka’s slender fingers were strangling Kojou with unbelievable gripping strength. 

“Shut up! Die! Return to ash!” 

“As if!” 

Perhaps naturally sensing it was dangerous to draw attention so spectacularly, Nagisa forced herself in between Kojou and Sayaka. “H-hey, both of you, calm down! Everybody’s staring! Everybody is seriously staring at us! And, Kojou, this isn’t the time to blush…!” 

“I wasn’t blushing… My face is red ’cause I was…suffocating!” 

With a pained voice, Kojou conscientiously corrected Nagisa’s words which were apparently due to some misunderstanding. 

Yukina continued to murmur to herself, still in shock. “Sayaka… A letter…to senpai…” 

“Yukina, don’t stay there in shock! Help me!” 

“Anyway, all I need to do is read this letter, right?” 

Somehow shaking loose from Sayaka’s right hand, he reached for the sealed letter in her left. 

“Wha—?!” 

Sayaka thrust Kojou away, nervously clutching the sealed letter to her chest. 

“Y-you can’t! Reading this out in the open—what are you thinking, Kojou Akatsuki…?!” 

“It’s your fault this is out in the open, sheesh!” 

Naturally, even Kojou could not conceal his irritation at the blatant inconsistency between Sayaka’s words and actions. 

That said, even Sayaka realized she was overreacting. A hesitant expression came over her as she anguished for a brief time. 

“After class!” 

“Huh?” 

Thrusting a finger straight toward Kojou’s nose, she demanded, “After school, come to the tea shop in front of the station! The one with the Northern Line sign!” 

Then she swiftly turned her back on Kojou and broke into a sprint as she fled the scene. 

“H-hey! Kirasaka…!” 

Kojou instantly called out for her to stop, but Sayaka was far off in the distance in practically the blink of an eye. 

Kojou and company were left behind on the sidewalk as students heading to school surrounded them from a distance, watching them with deep interest. 

Yukina remained rooted to the spot with a bewildered expression. During that time, Nagisa took out her smartphone and began inputting messages with incredible vigor. She probably meant to report to Asagi about what had just happened. Sensing even more complaints arising as a result, Kojou let out a frail sigh. 

“What is that Kirasaka girl thinking?” Kojou murmured to no one in particular as he tilted his head toward the excessively bright sky. 

Naturally, there was no reply to his question. 

2 

“Sayaka Kirasaka confessed to Kojou…?” 

It was time for their lunch break. In the cramped room of the Demon Sanctuary Research Club, Dem-Club for short, Motoki Yaze brought curry bread to his mouth as a weighty expression came over him. Thanks to the special ability he had dubbed Soundscape, Yaze was always monitoring Saikai Academy for intruders, but apparently even he didn’t have a grasp of what had happened out on the sidewalk. With a glaring Asagi sitting on the opposite side of the table, Yaze nervously leaned forward. 

“Hey, for real? I hadn’t heard anything about it.” 

“The story wasn’t that she confessed but that she acted like she might… What are you so nervous about?” Asagi asked, tense. She had intended this to be simple gossip and to gripe about it, but her longtime friend’s excessive reaction bewildered her. 

“It’s not like it has anything to do with you, Motoki. Or do you like Kirasaka or something?” 

“No way! Not a chance, but it’s not like it’s got nothing to do with me, either!” 

Wiping the grease off his fingers with a paper napkin, Yaze audibly gulped down a milk pack. 

The Demon Sanctuary Research Club room was on the third floor of the special classroom building. Thanks to having been a vacant, locked-up classroom for so long, it was still a little dusty, and it was stifling without a working air conditioner unit. Even so, it was the optimal place for secret conversations. 

At present, only Yaze and Asagi were in the room. Their underclassmen Yukina Himeragi and Shizuri Kasugaya rarely popped their heads in during lunch break, and the supposed club president Kojou was off buying juice after having lost at rock-paper-scissors. 

Asagi reached her chopsticks toward the second course of an extravagant three-course bento box meal. 

“Okay, if you don’t like Kirasaka, but it does have something to do with you…does that mean you like Kojou instead?” 

When Asagi checked with a dead-serious look, her words sent Yaze into a coughing fit. 

“What kind of logic is that?! That’s not it at all, Miss Oblivious to Romance! She’s a serving Shamanic War Dancer of the Lion King Agency. She’s an expert in curses and assassination, right?” 

“Wh-who’s oblivious to romance…?!” 

A genuinely hurt expression came over Asagi as she snapped the chopsticks in her grip. Remembering she was only halfway through her meal, a momentary look of nervousness came over her, but a salad fork remained, so it seemed she would manage somehow. 

“…The gist being, the girl might be approaching Kojou on a mission for the Lion King Agency?” 

“The chances are pretty high, right? Even if she’s not going to assassinate him out of the blue, taming Kojou is all upside from their perspective,” Yaze murmured quietly. His face was tense. 

Asagi rested a cheek on a palm as she gave Yaze a cold stare. 

“…Motoki, do you seriously think that?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Logic aside, does she look like the type to worm her way in through the back door like that? Isn’t a staged confession and romance too much for her? What she thinks about Kojou comes right out on her face and in her attitude, you know.” 

“R-right… When it’s other people’s feelings, you can actually tell, huh…?” 

Asagi’s unexpectedly accurate analysis made Yaze exhale in genuine appreciation. Asagi let out her feelings for Kojou the same way, but she was a long, long way from realizing that. 

Perhaps sensing from the air that he was making light of her, Asagi raised an eyebrow in irritation. 

“What? Have something you wanna say?” 

“Not really.” 

“Besides, it’s Himeragi who’s Kojou’s observer, right? Would the Lion King Agency really undermine her position after all this time?” 

“Well, you do have a point. Plus that Big Boob Brigade representative resigned from that scandal not long ago.” 

Yaze tilted his head as he spoke, almost like he was asking himself something. The suspicious wording that had slipped from Yaze’s lips made Asagi sharply narrow her eyes. 

“Big Boob Brigade?” 

“Ahh…er, nothing. But if Sayaka Kirasaka’s conduct isn’t some mission for the Lion King Agency, what the hell is she after?” 

Seeing that Yaze was beginning to seriously mull over the issue, Asagi lowered her shoulders in exasperation. “Well, wouldn’t it be, you know, that?” 

“Whaddaya mean, that?” 

“She’s doing this of her own will, after all.” 

“…You can’t mean an actual awkward confession?” Yaze’s mouth dropped open as he looked at Asagi. 

She sullenly frowned. “Unlikely or not, that’s the most natural thing that comes to mind, and I can’t think of any other reason she’d write a letter in this day and age.” 

“And you’re fine with that?” 

Due to her rather frightening disposition, Yaze asked his question in a roundabout manner. Asagi gave Yaze an unmoved glare. 

“Whether I’m fine or not is beside the point. Not like I can get in the way, either.” 

“Well, regardless, I need to gather some intel for the time being, huh?” Yaze laughed in a dry voice. 

“I suppose so,” Asagi agreed. “The issue goes to maintaining the security of Itogami city-state, doesn’t it?” 

From their spy, Nagisa, they’d already learned that Kojou and Sayaka were meeting up at the tea house in front of the station after class. No matter what Sayaka has in mind, we have to observe veeery closely, thought Yaze and Asagi with renewed determination. 

3 

For once, classes that day ended without any particular trouble. 

Even as the eve of a major string of holidays made a somewhat floaty atmosphere course through the school, classes proceeded without becoming stagnant, and so the school day ended same as usual. 

There was something a little unexpected, though: The uproar that had taken place at the school gates before classes did not result in even one cold stare toward Kojou. That said, it was not out of any particular consideration for him. Everyone was acutely aware of Asagi’s displeasure as she sat right in front of Kojou. 

At the moment, she was maintaining a distance of ten meters or so, hiding in the shadows of objects as she followed Kojou and Yukina on their way out of school. Kojou spotted Yaze farther behind Asagi, wearing glasses and a bandana that covered the lower half of his face. Apparently, he’d intended it as a disguise. 

“What are those two up to…?” 

Kojou grimaced as he glanced back at his friends’ blatantly suspicious behavior. 

“Well, of course it’s bugging them. A Kojou confession scene is rarer than a total solar eclipse. I’m sure they want a good look for future reference.” 

It was not Yukina, walking at his side, who had replied to Kojou’s question, but Nagisa as she walked opposite Yukina. She was taking a break from club practices in the name of monitoring her flesh and blood older brother’s activities. 

“Reference for what?! In the first place, Kirasaka only said she had a letter to hand to me. How did it become talk of a confession? Right, Himeragi?” He begged Yukina to say something. 

The conversation suddenly handed to her, Yukina twitched her shoulders in surprise. She replied in an inorganic, low-intonation voice. 

“Y-yes. Um, after all, Sayaka is pretty, she’s very kind, she is surprisingly obliging in domestic matters, and she is a precious person to me, so if Sayaka is serious about this…” 

“Hold on a sec! The hell are you talking about?!” 

Shocked, Kojou gaped at Yukina as she spewed out barely comprehensible things with hollow-looking eyes. 

In contrast, Nagisa spoke with an excited, expectant tone. 

“I mean, can you think it’s anything other than a confession?! It’s a letter, you know! A love letter sorta letter!” 

“Ehh, love letters and plain old letters are completely different things, aren’t they?” Kojou stared at his sister’s face in exasperation. What are you even talking about? 

Nagisa tapered her lips a little, apparently dismayed by her brother’s sober demeanor. 

“Kojou, how can you be so calm about this? What’ll you do if Miss Kirasaka really does say she likes you?” 

“Kirasaka hates my guts, so thinking about that is a waste. Every time we’ve met, she’s chewed me out, tried to stab me to death, tried to slice me apart, tried to slice me apart again, tried to strangle me to death—” 

Kojou let out a weary sigh as he recalled past events. 

Yukina blinked in surprise, seemingly coming back to her senses. “Sayaka hating you… Do you truly still think that?” 

“That’s just how Kojou is… That’s why he’s so composed about this…” Nagisa was not nearly as well versed about the particulars, but she shot Kojou a disappointed look nonetheless. 

Having his two juniors gaze at him with reproachful eyes threw Kojou for a loop. 

“Uh, well, it’s not like she’s a bad person, and she’s saved my neck more times than I can count,” Kojou said, trying to backtrack a little as he formed his thoughts. 

That’s not the point , Yukina and Nagisa seemed to say as they let out dejected breaths. 

Weary, Nagisa shook her head and collected herself. “But you know, I’m glad she picked a letter as her way of confessing. It would have felt awkward for you to give her a reply in public this morning. You didn’t even do anything weird out of panic, either.” 

“Just what do you think about your own older brother…?” Kojou muttered at his sister, grumbling about her worries missing the mark. 

Nagisa turned to Yukina—and then shot a glance at Asagi tailing behind. “Besides, Yukina, you have time to come up with countermeasures, you know?” 

“Eh? Me?” 

Yukina blinked hard, surprised at the attention directed at her. 

Nagisa slumped her shoulders dramatically and muttered, “No self-awareness here, either.” Yukina did not understand the reason. 

Kojou averted his eyes as Nagisa grew more restless, perhaps excited by her hopes of witnessing a romance happen. 

“Gotta say,” Kojou mumbled, “I’m more worried about it being a threat of murder or a challenge to a duel or something like that—” 

The tea house by the monorail station that Sayaka had mentioned was coming into sight. It was a themed shop named Goetia that Kojou and company also visited on occasion. 

But when Kojou and company climbed the brick steps and tried to go in, they heard a voice from an alley beside the shop that sounded like someone in distress. It was a familiar voice. 

“Um, I am sorry. I would like you to let me…pass.” 

The speaker was a small schoolgirl wearing a Saikai Academy uniform. She was an impossibly pretty girl with beautiful silver hair and blue eyes. This was Kanon Kanase, Nagisa and Yukina’s friend. An unfamiliar man was blocking her path. 

“It won’t take much of your time, so listen to what I have to say a little, ’kay? All you have to do is answer my question from before and I’ll go, just like that.” 

The man wore a cheap, fake-looking smile and a wrinkled white business shirt; his age was difficult to determine. He was gripping an inexpensive notepad and ballpoint pen. A small voice recorder was poking out of his shirt pocket. 

“What the heck? Kano’s being harassed?” said Nagisa as she knit her brow. When she reflexively tried to rush out to the man to object, Kojou stopped her and said, “Stand back.” 

He called out to the man from behind. “Hey, you! What are you doin’ to Kanase?!” 

The stranger turned around with a somewhat annoyed expression. However, a slimy grin came over him when he noticed their school attire. 

“Hey, those uniforms… Could it be that you’re acquaintances of Miss Kanase?” 

“Huh?” 

Kojou came to a halt, taken aback at the man’s particularly chummy demeanor. The man used the opening to get uncomfortably close. 

“Excellent. There’s a little something I’d like you to tell me. Ahh, as for me…have you heard of the Daily Astel?” 

“…A newspaper reporter?” Kojou replied awkwardly as he gazed at the business card thrust toward him. 

The man narrowed his eyes and nodded. “I’m a journalist. Or I call myself one, at least.” 

“So, Mr. Journalist, what do you want with Kanase?” Kojou shot a barbed look his way. 

The Daily Astel was an international newspaper with its headquarters situated in the North Atlantic Empire, an island nation floating in the North Atlantic Ocean. Published in over twenty countries across the world with a circulation of nearly three million, even Kojou at least knew of the publication. 

He couldn’t call it a dignified paper, though; it ran photos of scantily clad women, printed numerous racially discriminatory articles, and focused mainly on scandals involving entertainers, politicians, royals, and so forth. 

The man still had a wry smile glued to his face as he sent a glance Kanon’s way. 

“So you see, I thought I’d confirm the truth behind a little rumor going around. Talk’s been bouncing all over the place.” 

“What rumor?” 

“You know the kingdom of Aldegia, right? A small northern country that’s world-famous for sorcerous manufacturing. It’s also a popular tourism destination. It has trees and lakes, and if you go up north, you can see auroras, too. Its famous foods are reindeer stew, pickled herring, and berry pie.” 

“Um…and your point was?” 

The man’s sudden transformation from a journalist to a travel agent made Kojou wince. However, the man grinned back at him. 

“Incidentally, it’s also said to be a land of beautiful women. In particular, the crown princess—Her Highness La Folia is even said to be the Second Coming of Freya.” 

As he spoke, the man’s gaze slowly shifted. He examined Nagisa and Yukina in turn, finally fixing his gaze onto Kanon. 

“Ahh, pardon me. I think these young ladies are very beautiful. In particular, Miss Kanon Kanase—you are the spitting image of Princess La Folia. It’s almost as if you’re one and the same.” 

“Why, you…” 

Kojou’s voice was low and tremulous. He finally realized the reason for the man to be all over Kanase. 

“Yes, if the rumors are to be believed, you are related to Princess La Folia. Actually, one plausible explanation is that the princess’s grandfather, that is to say the former king of Aldegia, had a child with a woman who came from abroad. The rumor passes mainly between people involved with the royal palace.” 

The reporter’s grin was dripping with malice. He continued, “If that’s true, this would be quite a scandal. As a journalist, I can’t just let go of something like this. The truth needs to be exposed to the people of Aldegia, don’t you think?” 

Kojou glared. “You probably just wanna sell a scoop. Leave other people’s family circumstances alone, would you?” 

The journalist calmly shook his head as he pressed the switch of his voice recorder. “No, unfortunately, this is a political issue. Incidentally, Miss Kanon Kanase, your mother worked in the royal palace of Aldegia up until sixteen years ago, I believe. I’d certainly like to hear the details about that.” 

“I know nothing about my mother. Nothing.” 

Kanon, silent to that point, made the statement with a calm, serene voice. 

“Hmm,” said the journalist, a hint of surprise creeping onto his face. 

“Then what of your father? Your adoptive father, Mr. Kensei Kanase, was Aldegia’s former Court Sorcerous Engineer. Last year, he instigated a major criminal incident here on Itogami Island, and rumor has it that the Gigafloat Management Corporation has him incarcerated…” 

“Hey, cut it out alr—” 

The reporter was trying to back Kanon into a corner when Kojou tried to roughly grab hold of his collar—until Yaze appeared by his side grabbed his friend’s arm. 

“Let it go, Kojou,” Yaze warned. 

“His game is provoking people to violence. It’s an obvious ploy,” added Asagi, having at some point approached the group closely after tailing them for a while. She gave the reporter a frosty glare. 

The reporter clicked his tongue in dismay at his ruse being exposed with such ease. However, the slimy smile remained. He took notice of their growing hostility and regarded them without the slightest shred of guilt. Before he could respond, an aloof voice took everyone by surprise. 

“Ohh, Miss Kanon? Is there some kind of dispute here?” 

The speaker was an ashen-haired, well-built foreign man around forty years old. He wore a well-tailored brown suit and had expensive-looking shoes on his feet. Judging by his attire, he presented himself as an astute businessman, but the eyes under his glasses seemed somewhat cold. 

“And who are you?” the reporter asked, annoyed. 

The man in the suit bowed in a perfunctory manner, walking in front of Kanon as if to shield her. 

“Pardon me. I am Hürth Gardier, attorney. I am a consulting attorney for the kingdom of Aldegia’s Lahtela Incorporated.” 

“…Lahtela? That high-tech firm?” The reporter grimaced in surprise. 

Lahtela Inc., known for its highly refined digital device designs, was one of Northern Europe’s giant enterprises. Well known as a supplier of high-quality sorcerous products, its marketing also boasted of high-end personal computers and smartphone packages using Lahtela-made parts. 

“Wh-what is a consulting attorney for Lahtela doing in a place like this?!” the reporter shouted, though his voice faltered. 

His reaction only served to heighten the attorney’s suspicions. “If you must ask—to discuss issues related to inheritance.” 

“Inheritance?” 

“Yes. In the event that our hospitalized former chairman passes away, five percent of Lahtela Inc.’s stock is to be passed to his granddaughter Miss Kanon, so I am here to attend to the formalities.” 

“W-wait a minute. Then Kanon Kanase’s real father is—” Cutting himself off, the reporter stepped closer to the attorney, who solemnly nodded. 

“Yes, that would be Siegel Lahtela, younger brother of the current head of the Lahtela family. Unfortunately, a marriage did not come to pass, but I understand that he and Miss Kanon’s mother were deeply in love during her time in the kingdom of Aldegia.” 

“D…do you have proof of…? Ah, no. Fine. I get it.” 

The reporter stopped himself, thinking better of it. Whether Lahtela’s attorney was speaking the truth or not was no longer the issue. 

As an enormous corporation, Lahtela Inc. carried a great deal of influence with reporters and media organizations around the world. If the chairman’s family acknowledged the existence of a granddaughter, there was no way to overturn that decision. 

Even an untrustworthy third-rate gossip rag like the Daily Astel would blow him off if he defied them and claimed it was an Aldegian royal house scandal instead. Worst case, he’d be sued and would end up in debt for the rest of his lifetime. 

Even he lacked the courage to take that kind of risk. The reporter hung his head in dejection and left in the direction of the station. He made a pathetic sight that was the epitome of the term beaten dog. 

“Whew… Somehow we made it through that.” 

The attorney made a long sigh, gesturing as if wiping sweat off his brow. 

Suspicion and bewilderment were mixed in the expressions Kojou and company turned toward the attorney. 

So far as Kojou knew, the rumor that Kanon was Aldegian royalty was the truth. He hadn’t heard one word to date about her being the granddaughter of the former chairman of Lahtela Inc. 

“Mr. Gardier, was it? Was what you said just now true?” 

“No, it was a fabrication, of course. To be more accurate, this is a cover story provided by the royal family for the sake of Her Highness the Royal Sister, who is said not to desire to live as a royal.” 

The well-built foreign attorney displayed a smile of good cheer as he spoke. The sheer ease with which he disclosed the secret left Kojou and the others all the more perplexed. 

“It is I, Sir Fourth Primogenitor.” 

The attorney made a pleasant-sounding laugh as he removed his glasses. 

That instant, his contours warped. His entire body seemed to sway like a ripple as he transformed into another person entirely. 

It was a tall girl with short, military-cropped silver hair. Her face was a prize in itself. Her body was clad in a modified military uniform with a no-slip skirt that had deep slits on both sides. 

Thanks to her black tights fashioned out of cut-resistant weave, she resembled a ninja. She might have looked like some sort of silly cosplayer, but the expression on her face was dead serious. 

Kojou blinked in amazement as he called out the name of the female knight dispatched to serve as Kanon’s bodyguard. “M-Miss Justina?!” 

“An illusion… No, a disguise, yes?” Yukina noted. 

Justina’s ability was probably some kind of ritual for infiltration that temporarily altered one’s appearance. Unlike illusions that merely altered the perceptions of eyewitnesses, this surely had the effect of fooling even security cameras and similar photographic devices. 

As one might expect of an Interceptor Knight of the kingdom of Aldegia, Yukina thought, nodding with admiration on her face. 

“Indeed. Countermeasures against the media are included among my duties as Her Majesty the Royal Sister’s escort. Besides, disguise is child’s play to a ninja. Nin!” 

“Err, it’s not a disguise. It’s magic, right?” Kojou mumbled. “And in the first place, you’re a knight, not a ninja.” 

Regardless, they were able to dispose of a troublesome, self-declared journalist thanks to Justina’s magic. This was no doubt how she carried out her day-to-day mission as Kanon’s bodyguard from the shadows. 

“Come to think of it, Kano coming to the station is pretty rare, huh? What brings you here?” Nagisa asked cheerfully, free of tension now that the reporter had left. 

Kanon tried to reply with her usual gentle, smiling face. A fuming, enraged voice Kojou and the others suddenly heard from behind bellowed over her. 

“Kojou Akatsuki! You’re late! You took forever! I’m sick of waiting!” 

“K-Kirasaka?” 

When he looked over, Sayaka’s shoulders were quaking with rage, but she glared at Kojou with fatigue in her eyes. She’d probably seen Kojou and company arrive in front of the shop from inside the tea house. In spite of that, she’d waited on proverbial pins and needles for them to actually go in before finally rushing out of the store. 

However, despite her earlier outrage, Sayaka froze when she noticed the unexpectedly large number of people in the area. Now I’ve done it, said the expression frozen on her face, her cheeks reddening in real time. 

Kanon politely bowed her head, seemingly in consideration for Sayaka. 

“I am sorry to have kept you waiting.” 

“Ah…th-thank you for coming, too, Miss Kanase. That makes everyone, doesn’t it?” 

Sayaka had a guilty look on her face as she spoke. She turned to her right, entering the tea house from which she had come as if taking refuge. 

4 

One of Goetia Coffee’s selling points was a feeling of sophisticated comfort, thanks to their choices in furniture and interior design. 

Guided to a table for four, Sayaka and Yukina sat down across from Kojou and Kanon. Seated adjacently were Nagisa, as well as Asagi and Yaze, who were no longer attempting to hide the fact that they were tailing Kojou. 

At some point, Kanon’s bodyguard Justina had vanished from sight. That said, Kojou had no doubt she was guarding Kanon while hidden somewhere. Kanon herself didn’t seem to realize it, and that was fine with him, but Kojou had the nagging feeling that Justina was acting less like a bodyguard and more like a stalker at that point. 

“An official letter from La Folia?” Kojou asked. 

The drinks they ordered arrived as Sayaka presented the sealed envelope. 

Looking at it up close, Kojou thought the envelope was particularly bombastic. The flap of the envelope was decorated with a seal made out of genuine gold. He recalled from memory that the impression left in the seal was the crest of the Royal Family of Aldegia. 

“So it really isn’t a love letter to senpai?” Yukina asked in a voice tinged with surprise and relief. 

Sayaka tensed as she drew in her breath in a silent pause before replying forcefully, “Of course not! Why would I give a man like this a love letter anyw…?” 

Asagi offhandedly deciphered Sayaka’s expression. “…Your face says, Oh, that was an option?” 

The assertion seemed to have hit the mark, throwing Sayaka for a loop. 

“Y-you’re wrong! For that matter, why are outsiders like this here? Yukina’s your observer from the Lion King Agency, so she’s fine, but Miss Nagisa and Asagi Aiba, and beyond them, that man has nothing to do with this, right?!” 

Yaze, fresh from being called “that man,” winked his right eye with a sarcastic laugh. “Well, you don’t have to be so cold. It’s not like this is the first time we’ve met, and exchanging information is convenient for both sides, right?” 

Sayaka opened her mouth as if to somehow refute him but eventually exhaled in apparent resignation. “Well, fine. At any rate, I hereby deliver the missive from the princess.” 

“To be honest, I don’t really wanna accept.” 

Kojou grudgingly took the letter into his hand and cut the seal. Just from the touch of his hand, it was obvious that the stationery upon which the document was written was of fine quality. Kojou immediately grimaced as he spread out the triple-folded stationery. 

“…Wait, what is this, English? Hey, Himeragi, what’s written on this?” 

“Pardon me. Let me take a look.” 

Sitting opposite to him, Yukina brought her face close to Kojou’s as she peered at the stationery in his hands. Perhaps she herself was unaware, but the result was that they were perfectly shoulder-to-shoulder. 

Watching this, Sayaka’s mouth was left agape while Kanon was gratified to see Kojou and Yukina getting along so intimately. 

“This really does seem to be a letter from Princess La Folia to senpai. ‘To our beloved Kojou Akatsuki, king of the Dominion of Itogami city-state and friend of our kingdom of Aldegia.’” 

“Y-Yukina…? Any way you slice it, aren’t the two of you a little too close…?!” 

Gazing nervously as Yukina nestled against Kojou, Sayaka mustered her determination. However, Yukina and Kojou stared at Sayaka with unsure expressions that said What are you talking about…? 

“Eh? But if I do not translate the missive from the princess…,” Yukina started. 

“Aren’t you the one who brought the letter?” Kojou asked. 

“B-but being that close together… Are you really all right with this?!” Sayaka exclaimed, turning to Asagi and Nagisa, indicating the question was directed at them. 

Asagi waved a hand dismissively. “Ahh… Well, they don’t realize it themselves, so no big deal, right?” 

“This is an everyday thing so…,” Nagisa added. 

“Everyday?! This is really all right?! I’m concerned that they’re going to get accustomed to this situation, though…?!” Sayaka said to herself weakly as she stared at Yukina and Kojou with worry. 

During this time, Yukina continued translating the missive from La Folia without faltering. As a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency, she had apparently drilled not just with knowledge of ritual spells, but with a high school–grade education so as to cope with a wide variety of missions. There was a particular stress on high linguistic ability, so her capability for languages was probably at an even higher level. Though, for all that, she was sometimes short on ordinary knowledge or common sense. 

“‘The first of the following month, we have scheduled a celebration in our royal capital, Verterace, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of our kingdom of Aldegia’s peace treaty with the Warlord’s Empire. And so, we invite thee to our kingdom for this ceremonial occasion—’” 

Kojou interrupted Yukina’s translation. “Invite… Wait, she’s telling me to head all the way to Aldegia?” 

Nagisa, in the middle of licking the whipped cream from her mocha latte, slammed the table and leaped to her feet. 

“So you mean an overseas trip…?!” 

“Um, I’m sure it’s nothing nice like that. It’s an invitation from La Folia, after all,” Kojou grumbled. 

Revered by the masses as a compassionate saint, La Folia Rihavein was actually a cruel schemer. To be honest, Kojou had a pretty hard time dealing with her. 

“The time she indicates lines up perfectly with Golden Week, does it not? What will you do, senpai?” Yukina asked seriously. 

Kojou’s reply came instantly. “I don’t even have to stop to think. No way I’m going. Sounds like a pain in the ass.” 

Shaken by his words, Nagisa cried, “Whaaat?! Why not?! It’s Aldegia! It has snow and ice floes and fjords and auroras, you know?!” 

“It’s not like we’d be going for a relaxing vacation. I bet that scheming princess is up to something…!” 

Taking a break from his espresso, Yaze joined in. “I’ve gotta say, I feel like we should want to deepen ties with one of the few countries friendly to us. It’d mean some complications to our relationship with the Japanese government, though.” 

Asagi nodded. “Makes sense. So in the end, Kirasaka was doing this at Princess La Folia’s request? So her objective wasn’t to make an awkward confession out of some scheme by the Lion King Agency. That explains why I couldn’t read her motives.” 

“A-awkward confession…?! How in the world did you suspect me of that?!” Sayaka retorted, nervous and flustered. 

Yaze flashed a pained smile before abruptly turning to Sayaka, becoming serious. “But why did she ask you to do this? Delivering a missive from a princess isn’t exactly in the Lion King Agency’s jurisdiction.” 

“That’s—” Sayaka clenched her jaw. “The Lion King Agency has a reason that compels it to act.” 

At that moment, Yukina made an O shape with her mouth, raising her eyebrows as she was reading the letter. 

“Um, senpai.” 

“Yeah?” 

“It seems that a letter is not all Princess La Folia sent.” 

Peering inside the envelope, Yukina took out a second, smaller envelope within. Inside the second one was not stationery, but a ticket with numbers finely printed upon it. 

“This is…an airline ticket? Why is it for three?” 

Kojou’s brow formed a crease as he confirmed the contents of the envelope. Yukina met Kojou’s eyes. 

“The passengers are senpai, myself…and Kano?” 

“So we’re to take Kanase with us…?” 

Sayaka stared at the perplexed Kojou and Yukina as she made a brief sigh. Then she turned to Kanon, sitting directly opposite to her. “Miss Kanon Kanase, Princess La Folia’s real objective…is you.” 

“Me…?” 

Realizing that Kanon’s eyes were wavering in fear for the barest of moments, Sayaka shook her head with great haste. 

“Ah, I don’t mean using you politically or anything of the sort. The princess’s intent is to get you to meet with your real father, the former king of Aldegia. Being elderly with public duties of his own, he can’t come to Itogami Island, so…” 

“Ah,” went Kanon in a small voice, letting out her breath. 

“Oh. So Kanon hasn’t actually met her real dad yet?” Kojou watched the side of Kanon’s face. Her expression was gentle as she listened; he couldn’t read how she really felt from the quiet serenity of her blue eyes. 

“Of course, Miss Kanase’s existence cannot be publicly announced without causing an uproar, hence the lack of a public invitation,” Sayaka explained. “But guests and tourists will gather from around the world during the commemorative celebration period, so it’s a fair bit safer while attention is focused in that direction…” 

“If anything, it feels like if you let this chance go, there’s no telling when another might come,” Kojou said. 

Sayaka agreed. “Yes, that. It’s just that this case has a single issue with it.” She slowly surveyed the faces of all present. “Miss Kanase’s visit to Aldegia would formally be a non-public, personal trip, so she can’t be given a police escort. The only knights the princess can move herself are the Knights of the Second Coming, and they’re assigned to their own mission at the commemorative celebration, so they can’t spare many people.” 

“Hmm,” went Yaze’s small sound from his nose. If anything, Yaze’s position as chairman of the Gigafloat Management Corporation made him just the sort of person who would be assigned bodyguards. That alone made him particularly quick on the uptake. 

But even Yaze went rigid from Sayaka’s next words. 

“Furthermore, we anticipate that there is a very high chance there will be a terrorist attack at this celebration.” 

Kojou and Yukina spoke at the same time: 

“Huh? You anticipate that there’ll be an attack?” 

“Are you saying you know whether an attack will occur or not?” 

Surprise hovered in Kanon’s eyes, as well. 

Sayaka’s expression remained firm as she nodded. “Maybe it doesn’t feel real to people living in a Demon Sanctuary, but there are plenty of people in this world who don’t want coexistence between humankind and demons…from the human and Demon sides both. I don’t think they’d let a huge celebration like this go on peacefully.” 

“So from their point of view, the peace treaty between Aldegia and the Warlord’s Empire is just an obstacle?” 

Kojou recalled a number of incidents that had occurred on Itogami Island in the past. 

From the human side was an Armed Apostle who despised demons as wicked beings. There had been a terrorist group espousing beast people–supremacist ideology. The Holy Ground Treaty extolling coexistence between humans and demons was an impediment to both sides’ desire for war. 

It was this treaty, proposed by the First Primogenitor—the Lost Warlord—and ratified by numerous nations, that had brought a long era of war between humankind and Demonkind to a close. One might well call the peace treaty between Aldegia and the Warlord’s Empire the embodiment of that. 

Hence, it was easy to imagine the many groups and organizations that despised the treaty targeting the commemorative celebration. The chance their attacks would involve ordinary people was far from low. Visiting Aldegia at a time like that equally meant leaping right into the middle of that danger. 

“In addition, and it pains me to say this, but not all elements within the Aldegian Royal Palace look favorably upon Kanon’s existence. Even if she is not part of the line of succession, the fact remains that she is the half sister of His Highness the King, which I suppose makes a number of people anxious that she might be a threat to their own positions.” 

Sayaka stated this in a dead serious tone of voice. She wasn’t trying to scare Kanon, but merely to objectively state the truth. 

“So you’re saying that worst case, there’s a chance of her being assassinated?” Asagi bluntly asked. 

Kanon’s shoulders trembled. 

Sayaka nodded gravely. “I don’t think the odds of action that direct are high, but I can’t take an optimist’s view of it.” She sipped her now-watery iced coffee with a bitter expression. 

“So that’s why La Folia asked the Lion King Agency—no, asked you to do this job.” Kojou closed his eyes. 

Now I get it, he thought. 

The Lion King Agency’s role was to engage in information gathering and strategic sabotage to foil large-scale sorcerous terrorism. Sayaka was a Shamanic War Dancer, a specialist in the protection of very important people and the prevention of assassinations. On top of that, she was personally fond of La Folia and knew Kanon’s circumstances well. One might call her the optimal choice to serve as Kanon’s escort. 

“Numerous Japanese government VIPs will be participating in this celebration, so the Lion King Agency was cooperating with the Aldegian government to begin with. That said, we can’t spare many people, and there’s no guarantee I can guard Kanon around the clock.” 

Kojou’s eyes opened wide as he glared at the letter. “Wait a sec. So La Folia sending me this airline ticket is for—” 

Yukina nodded with a hardened expression as she read the rest of the letter. “It reads, ‘Consequently, Kojou, I wish to entrust the personal protection of my precious family member Kanon to you and Yukina. With love, La Folia Rihavein.’” 

“Ngh…” 

Kojou was at a loss for words as he stiffened. He realized he’d been completely done in by the web of intrigue La Folia had deployed around him. 

As the Fourth Primogenitor, he could refuse neither to attend the peace commemoration ceremony nor to escort Kanon. Even if she did have the powerful spiritual energy characteristic of the Royal Family of Aldegia, Kanon herself was a magical amateur without any combat training whatsoever. Naturally, that left him far too worried to send a girl under threat of terrorism or assassination off to Aldegia on her own. 

“…So the gist is that Kojou’s been called to go as Kanon’s chaperone?” Nagisa asked, pounding the final nail into his coffin. 

“Suppose so,” said Yaze with an irresponsible nod. “Well, in one sense, he’s the right guy for the job. No one sane would think of attacking someone with the World’s Mightiest Vampire as a bodyguard, plus she can basically work him to the bone for free.” 

Asagi’s voice was cold and dismissive. “He’s good as a meat shield, at least. He won’t die even if he takes lethal damage.” 

“Why, you…” Kojou growled at his friends. “Well, fine.” He exhaled, resigned to his fate. “But what do you wanna do, Kanon? You plan to go to Aldegia anyway, knowing it’d put your life in danger?” 

When Kojou gazed at her with a serious look, Kanon turned a gentle smile toward him, same as always. 

“To me, Kanase is my real, and only, father.” 

The matter-of-fact way she spoke the words made Kojou and the others gasp. 

After a certain incident occurred at the abbey where Kanon was being raised as an orphan, Kensei Kanase took her in as her adoptive father. However, Kensei could not be called her father by any ordinary meaning of the term. He was also the individual to use Kanon as an experimental subject to test the Faux-Angel spell passed down through the Royal Family of Aldegia. 

Even so, the fact remained that Kensei had poured his love into Kanon in his own way. That was why Kanon recognized Kensei as her own father even now. 

But this also meant that she did not regard the former Aldegian king as her father at all. 

As a matter of fact, Kanon had rejected living in Aldegia and had renounced all claims upon her rights and wealth as a royal. She probably didn’t feel like acknowledging herself as the daughter of the former liege at this late stage. 

Kojou and the others fell silent as they watched, but Kanon smiled pleasantly with a faint whiff of a blush. 

“I think I want to meet the person who fell in love with my mother. After all, I don’t know anything about her—” 

“Kano…!” 

Nagisa stood up and embraced Kanon from behind. Kanon wasn’t one to bring her own emotions to the fore, so hearing what she really thought seemed to have touched Nagisa deeply. 

“Got it. If that’s what you want to do, I’ll stick with you the whole way to Aldegia.” 

A reinvigorated expression came over Kojou as he spoke those words to Kanon. He hated that this was doing just as La Folia pleased, but he figured he’d go along with her schemes this one time. 

“No, senpai. We are going with her.” 

Staring at Kanon as she stiffened awkwardly, Yukina seemed satisfied as she smiled as well. 

Sayaka felt relief at having fulfilled the princess’s request. Yaze clutched his head at the troublesome formalities regarding Kojou leaving the country. 

Meanwhile, as Asagi rested her cheek on a palm in what somehow seemed a sullen mood, an expression came over her as if she was planning something. 

5 

Trine Halden, private secretary assigned to the Royal Family of Aldegia, wore an anachronistic corset as she walked down a long corridor in the royal palace. She was searching for the crown princess, who was currently neglecting her duties. 

La Folia Rihavein was supremely popular around the world as the elegant princess full of intellect and benevolence, but the impression Trine had from recent contact with the girl differed from that popular impression. 

She was even more attractive than her photos suggested, and her manners were by no means poor, but even so, Trine had a certain fear of the girl. Beyond that dignity and charisma was something unfathomable and terrifying. 

It was not an issue of La Folia’s integrity or wickedness. That made Trine all the more concerned. 

She had the benevolence of a goddess and the wit of a devil. This inconsistency, residing within her as if by nature, left the average person completely at a loss as to what she might be thinking. 

People surely sensed that on an instinctual level. Even as they were flung around by the girl’s whims and wiles, the female officials working at the royal palace never uttered a single foul word about La Folia. Though Trine herself was comparatively new to the palace, she was well versed in just how fearsome that mischievous scheming princess was. 

“So this is where you were, Princess La Folia?” 

Spotting the silver-haired princess in a dimly lit room, Trine’s voice was tinged with relief. 

It was a vast study reminiscent of a museum, and also the office employed by Galliard Rihavein, former king and La Folia’s grandfather. With Galliard retired, withdrawing from the front lines of public duties, La Folia helped herself to the now-unused room any time she liked. Her target was Galliard’s collection of books and other articles stored within. 

“Um…Princess La Folia? What are…?” Trine asked when she noticed odd little dusty objects piled atop the table. 

La Folia remained leisurely sitting cross-legged on the leather chair as she picked up one of the little objects. It was a knife sheathed in a golden scabbard. 

“These are antique sorcerous devices I found in my grandfather’s study. It seems that they were discarded, so I decided to sort them.” 

“Um, perhaps they were sealed away rather than discarded…?” Trine pointed out timidly. 

Numerous pieces of tape with words of warning written on them were adhered to the hilt of the knife the princess gripped. No one with a lick of common sense would so much as touch such an object. 

However, La Folia calmly drew the knife and smiled. 

“A trifling distinction without a difference. There is nothing to be concerned—Oh my…” 

Before the princess could finish her words, something flew out from within her hand. With an ominous roar, the door behind Trine was impaled by a silver flash. 

“Eeep?!” 

Several severed locks of Trine’s hair danced in the air as she made a belated gasp. 

Upon closer observation, a silver blade had flown but a few scant centimeters from Trine’s neck. Trine had been grazed by a knife blade launched by a springlike mechanism. 

“P…Princess…!” 

“I see. So this was a ballistic knife activated by magic. The safety’s pin broke, likely after degrading over the years.” 

La Folia murmured with apparent admiration as she gazed at the knife-turned-hilt. 

It was a throwing knife chiefly employed for assassinations and other surprise attacks. La Folia had taken a great liking to suspicious items like this, which Galliard the former liege had collected as a hobby. She truly is a princess of unfathomable terror, Trine felt with renewed acuity. 

“Incidentally, Miss Halden…” 

“Y-yes!” 

“…did you have some kind of business for me?” 

Discarding the knife, La Folia inquired as she looked over a new small object. 

Trine wiped the sweat from her brow as she regained her composure. 

“Th-that is correct. Princess, I have received word from Miss Kirasaka of the Lion King Agency.” 

“From Sayaka?” 

La Folia’s beautiful eyes seemed to see through everything as they turned toward her. Feeling stress for no reason she could pinpoint, Trine nodded slightly. 

“Yes. She states, ‘The King of Dawn and Priestess of the Sword ride Wings together with an Angel.’” 

“Is that so? Then all is proceeding accordingly.” 

La Folia smiled luxuriantly as she toyed with an old, small pistol for personal protection in the palm of her hand. 

“Contact Commander Velnera at Askola Base. Tell him, ‘Implement phase two of the plan.’” 

“Yes, at once. However, um—” Trine nodded courteously but hesitated somewhat as she looked at the princess, indecisive and timid as she continued her words. “Um, is it really all right not to inform His Majesty of this matter?” 

“Inform Father?” 

La Folia looked back at Trine with a hint of surprise on her face. “Hmm,” went the princess, lowering her eyes as she considered the matter with a sigh. 

“I suppose we should. It would be a problem if he interfered with our guests before their arrival, so let us leak information just prior so that there is no time to respond.” 

“Y-yes.” 

Unsure of what expression should come over her face, Trine smiled vaguely. 

Trine’s feet bounced off the carpet an instant after the gunshot rang out. The pistol La Folia had been toying with had suddenly exploded. “Oh my,” said La Folia, tilting her head as if it was someone else’s problem before cutely sticking out her tongue. Trine’s dorsal muscles virtually flipped as she raced out of the study, running for her life. 

“Now then, I suppose I should prepare to greet them.” 

La Folia listened to the secretary’s receding footsteps as she brushed her long silver hair and rose to her feet. 

She approached the study’s window and opened the thick velvet curtain. Spread outside was the scenery of Verterace, royal capital of Aldegia. 

The bay and lake had been formed by the erosion from a glacier. The beautiful skyline was a mix of modern skyscrapers and traditional structures standing side by side. The streets were filled with numerous tourists, and a large stage was being installed in the square at the center of the city. Preparations were underway for the peace commemoration celebration due to open in the near future. 

Over the next several days, guests would be arriving one after another from the world over. 

“So far, things are going as anticipated. I expect much from you, Kojou.” 

Looking up at the serene, blue spring sky, La Folia smiled. Residing in those eyes, the same color as that sky, were gloom and sorrow wrought by a princess’s heavy responsibilities, and a mischievous glint more appropriate for her age.